Tire inflation device

ABSTRACT

A tire inflation device includes a bottle having a valve on a top end of the bottle and a top part is mounted to the top end of the bottle. The top part has a frame having a U-shaped groove and the valve extends through top part and located in the frame. A block is movably engaged with the U-shaped groove and has a curved path defined therethrough. A first end and a second end of the curved path are respectively connected with a tube and the valve. An operation member is pivotably connected to the frame so that when pivoting the operation member, the press end of the operation member pushes the block to move along the U-shaped groove and the valve is pushed by the block so that the pressurized air is released via the path and the tube.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tire inflation device, and more particularly, to a tire inflation device for introducing pressurized air into flat bicycle or motorcycle tires.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For bicycles or motorcycles, the wheels include tube or tubeless tires which are inflated by introducing pressurized air into the tire such that the tires absorb shocks from the ground and allow the bicycle or motorcycles to move smoothly. The tire can be flatted by foreign objects penetrating through the tire and the pressurized air leaks, once the tires are flat, the bicycle or motorcycles cannot function normally. There are different types of tire inflation devices available, the one that is commonly used includes a pedal and a hose which can be connected with the valve of the tire and the user repeatedly operates the pedal to pump air into the tire.

A conventional tire inflation device is shown in FIG. 7 and generally includes a bottle 7 which has an operation head 70. A valve 71 is located at the center of the operation head 70. A tubular portion is mounted to the valve 71 and h as a passage 73 defined therethrough. A shoulder 72 is defined in a lower end of the tubular portion and the valve 71 is engaged with the shoulder 72. A recess 74 is defined in a top end of the tubular portion and communicates with the passage 73. A seal member 75 is located in the recess 74. The recess 74 is used to accommodate the tire valve and the user pushes the bottle 7 toward the tire valve to let the valve 71 be pushed by the shoulder 72 and the pressurized air in the bottle 7 is introduced into the tire 76 to inflate the tire 76.

FIG. 8 shows another conventional tire inflation device 8 and generally includes a bottle 83 which has an operation head 821 connected to the top of the bottle 83. The operation head 821 has a recessed portion 8211 in which a flexible hose 823 and a block 822 are received. The hose 823 is connected with the tire valve and when the block 822 is pressed downward, the pressurized air in the bottle 83 is introduced into the tire. Alternatively, a knob 825 is threadedly connected to the recessed portion 8211 of the operation head 821. By rotating the knob 825 to let the block 822 be pressed to achieve the purpose of inflation. A cap 81 is used to mount on the operation head 821 to accommodate the parts mentioned above.

However, the first conventional inflation device requires that the operation heads have to be close to the tire valve, in other words, the bottle are parallel to the spokes of the wheel and this position is not convenient for the operation of the inflation devices. The second conventional inflation device requires that the user rotate the knob many revolutions to keep the block to press the valve on the bottle. This is not satisfied by the users.

The present invention intends to provide a tire inflation device which improves all of the shortcomings of the conventional tire inflation devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tire inflation device which comprises a bottle having a valve on a top end of the bottle and an engaging portion is formed on an outside of the bottle. A top part is mounted to the top end of the bottle and a frame is connected to a top thereof. The frame has a U-shaped groove defined therein. A passage is defined through the frame and the top part so that the valve extends through the passage and located in the frame. The top part has an annular hook which is hooked to the engaging portion of the bottle. A block is movably engaged with the U-shaped groove and has a curved path defined therethrough. A first end of the curved path is connected with a tube and a second end of the curved path is in contact with the valve on the bottle. An operation member is pivotably connected to the frame and the operation member has press end and a lever on two ends thereof. When pivoting the operation member by lifting the lever, the press end is pivoted to push the block to move along the U-shaped groove to push the valve so that the valve is pushed and releases pressurized air in the bottle to the tube via the path.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a tire inflation device which is easily operated wherein the spokes of the wheel do not impede the operation for the inflation device.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show the tire inflation device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view to show the tire inflation device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is partial cross sectional view to show the tire inflation device of the present invention, wherein the operation member is not pivoted;

FIG. 4 is a top cross sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is partial cross sectional view to show the tire inflation device of the present invention, wherein the operation member is pivoted upward;

FIG. 6 is partial cross sectional view to show the tire inflation device of the present invention, wherein the flexible tubular portion is received in the cap;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view to show a first conventional tire inflation device, and

FIG. 8 is an exploded view to show a second conventional tire inflation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the tire inflation device of the present invention comprises a bottle 1 having a valve 11 on a top end of the bottle 1 and an engaging portion 12 is formed on an outside of the bottle 1. The bottle 1 includes pressurized air received therein and the valve 11 is a push type valve which releases the pressurized air when it is pushed downward.

A top part 2 is mounted to the top end of the bottle 1 and includes an annular hook 22 formed in an inside thereof, the annular hook 22 is hooked to the engaging portion 12 of the bottle 1. The top part 2 has a frame 21 connected to a top thereof and the frame 21 has a U-shaped groove 211 defined therein. A passage 23 is defined through the frame 21 and the top part 2 so that the valve 11 extends through the passage 23 and located in the frame 21. Two engaging grooves 212 are defined adjacent to the U-shaped groove 211. The top part 2 includes multiple annular grooves 24 defined in an outside thereof.

A block 3 is movably engaged with the U-shaped groove 211 and has a curved path 31 defined therethrough. A first end 311 of the curved path 31 is connected with a bellow member 313 which is connected with a tube 4. A second end 312 of the curved path 31 is in contact with the valve 11 on the bottle 1.

An operation member 5 has two pivots 51 extending from two sides thereof and the two pivots 51 are pivotably engaged with the two engaging grooves 212 of the frame 21. The operation member 5 includes press end 53 and a lever 52 on two ends thereof, wherein the press end 53 is located above the block 3 and the two pivots 51 are located between the press end 53 and the lever 52. The lever 52 has an opening 521 to reduce its weight and save material.

The tube 4 includes a tubular portion 45 which has a mount member 44 mounted to the first end 41 thereof and an inlet 43 is defined in the second end 42 of the tubular portion 45. The bellow member 313 of the block 3 is engaged with the mount member 44.

As shown in FIG. 5, when using the inflation device, the inlet 43 of the tubular portion 45 is engaged with the tire valve and the user pivots the lever 52 upward, the press end 53 of the operation member 5 pushes the block 3 to move along the U-shaped groove 211 to push the valve 11. Therefore, the pressurized air releases and introduced into the tire via the curved path 31 and the tube 4.

It is noted that tube 4 is moved with the block 3 and tire valve is located at a distance from the bottle 1 so that the spokes of the wheel do not impede the operation of the inflation device. A cap 6 has a connection lip 61 in the inside thereof so as to be engaged with the annular grooves 24 on the top part 2, such that all of the parts mentioned above can be accommodated in the cap 6.

As shown in FIG. 6, the tubular portion 45 can be a flexible tubular portion 45 which can be wrapped on the frame 21 when not in use and accommodated in the cap 6.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

1. A tire inflation device comprising: a bottle having a valve on a top end of the bottle, an engaging portion formed on an outside of the bottle; a top part mounted to the top end of the bottle and having a frame connected to a top thereof, the frame having a U-shaped groove defined therein, a passage defined through the frame and the top part so that the valve extends through the passage and located in the frame, the top part having an annular hook which is hooked to the engaging portion of the bottle; a block movably engaged with the U-shaped groove and having a curved path defined therethrough, a first end of the curved path connected with a tube and a second end of the curved path being in contact with the valve on the bottle, and an operation member having two pivots which are pivotably connected to the frame, the operation member having press end and a lever on two ends thereof, the press end located above the block and the pivots located between the press end and the lever, the press end being pivoted to push the block to move along the U-shaped groove to push the valve by pivoting the lever about the pivots. 